


Pater Familias

by Leela



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Forced Bonding, Hand Jobs, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Scars, Werewolves, references to past abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-04
Updated: 2011-12-04
Packaged: 2017-10-26 21:06:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/287910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leela/pseuds/Leela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco Malfoy really was too pretty and too young to be sent to Azkaban. After the inevitable occurred, Remus Lupin and Andromeda Tonks agreed to take responsibility for him, and allowed him to serve the rest of his sentence on house arrest in their home. Lucius Malfoy, however, refused to simply trust them with his son's emotional and physical well-being.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pater Familias

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pleasersleazer](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=pleasersleazer).



> Written for pleasersleazer in the 2008 HP Cross Fest on LJ.
> 
> Many thanks to the_flic not just for her encouragement and beta assistance, but also for all the other reasons that she knows full well. Many thanks also to my other betas meri_oddities and slashpine. And, of course, to everyone on my f-list who answered my questions about how kids talk.

"Some days", Remus Lupin said to no one in particular as he dropped heavily into a kitchen chair, "I think it would have been easier to have been on Voldemort's side, than a Dark creature on the side of the Light."

"Daddy. Daddy." Teddy ran into the room, grabbing at Remus' trouser leg to keep himself from tumbling to a halt. "Up, Daddy." When Remus didn't respond immediately, Teddy produced his crooked grin and held out his arms, carefully saying, "P...l...ease?"

"Up it is then, my magic cure-all." Remus smiled and picked up his son, lifting him up over his head and then cuddling him close for a minute or so. As soon as Teddy started wriggling, he put him back down and watched him flop on his bum and start talking to his dragon. The achingly tight muscles in his neck and shoulders from the ridiculousness at work and the previous night's transformation started easing.

"He is that, isn't he?" Andromeda Tonks stood at the doorway from the hall, arms folded across her chest. In loose black trousers and a faded blue blouse, she was dressed for comfort. Her grey and black-streaked hair was caught up in a loose bun. There was little resemblance except in stance and expression, and yet she reminded him so much of her daughter, his wife, that his heart ached with guilt. Accidental pregnancy or not, he didn't think he'd done Tonks any favours by marrying her.

"I don't know what I'd do without him."

"That makes two of us," Andromeda said and then sighed. "I know you've just come in, but Percy Weasley's in the Floo."

"Percy?" Remus frowned. His day at Beast Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had been singularly boring. Not even the fracas over the fake Wolfsbane that turned out to be real - however badly made - should have brought him to the attention of the Minister's assistant.

"I did tell him you haven't had your tea yet, but he says it's urgent. And he needs to talk to both of us."

"Both of us?" Curiosity finally overcoming his exhaustion, Remus levered himself out of his chair, scooping up Teddy on his way past. He flew the giggling toddler down the hallway and into the sitting room.

"Mr Lupin," Percy said from the fire. "The Minister and I understand that this is your family time and we want to thank you for..."

While Percy rambled, Remus settled Teddy in his play area and activated the wards that kept him from wandering. Then, he knelt on one of the low cushions in front of the fire next to Andromeda. Interrupting Percy, he asked, "What do you want?"

"Oh, well, we -- the Minister, that is -- would appreciate it if you and Andromeda could meet with him. He has something of importance that requires your assistance. If you will step through and meet with him."

"And what is that, if you don't mind?" Andromeda sounded unhappy. "You've interrupted our evening, asked us to abandon our tea for something that requires us to perform the minor miracle of finding a babysitter at very short notice. The least you can do, it seems to me, is give us a good reason why we should agree?"

"But it's for the Minister."

Exchanging a glance with Andromeda, Remus said, "You'll have to give us a bit more than that if you want us to believe this really can't wait until tomorrow."

"One minute, please." Percy's head turned away from them briefly. "Mrs Tonks, I've been told to tell you the following," he pushed his glasses back up on his nose and cleared his throat, sending sparks flying out to explode against the baby-proof shield, "C'est une fleur toujours pur. Also that my mother will come through and look after Teddy while you're here."

"Oh," Andromeda said. She reached out and placed a hand on Remus' shoulder. A much firmer grip than her usual gentle touch. "I... we need to do this. Please, Remus."

~*~

"Please, Remus," Ron said. He clutched Hermione's hand as if it were a lifeline. "I... I did this."

Hermione made a protesting noise, and Ron shook his head. "I wasn't the only one, but I was the loudest voice in insisting that Malfoy had to serve time. I _testified_ against him. Even Harry... he refused, said that Malfoy deserved a chance, talked about him saving us, when all I could see... hear was what Bellatrix did to Hermione. And I made him pay for that."

Swallowing, looking like he was going to be sick, he whispered, "I didn't know they'd make him pay like that."

Arms crossed loosely over his chest, Remus leant against the wall of Kingsley's office, next to the chair where Andromeda sat. He'd declined the offer of his own chair, knowing that he would be uncomfortable in the crowded room.

Kingsley sat behind his desk, resplendent in crimson robes, his expression giving nothing away. Off to the side, Percy perched on a straight-backed wooden chair, fingers twitching as if he desperately wanted to be taking notes. Ron and Hermione huddled in a two-seater couch with Arthur, in full protective parent mode, sitting in a nearby chair.

"Why us?" Remus finally asked.

Andromeda twisted around, giving him an odd look, but didn't say anything. The others exchanged glances until Kingsley finally spoke.

"Who else?" he asked, leaning back in his chair. "Whatever the opinions of those of us in this room, the average witch or wizard won't just sit back and accept us releasing a convicted Death Eater. Even one as young as Draco Malfoy."

Remus raised an eyebrow and waited. He knew exactly where this was going, but saw absolutely no reason to make it easy on them.

"Malfoy clearly cannot return to Azkaban. St Mungo's sent Healers here, but refused to have him on the premises. And to leave him here, at the Ministry, where his tormentors are also imprisoned could be construed as cruel and unusual punishment."

"Your point?"

"Remus," Kingsley chided. "Do you really need me to say it?"

Andromeda said, her voice firm, "I do. I want all of your cards on the table. You're asking us to do something that could, potentially, endanger my grandchild, and I'm tired of all your political double-talk. Tell me exactly what's going on. What do you want from us? Why do you think we are the best choice to take him in? And what do we get in return?"

Times like this were exactly why Remus loved Andromeda so dearly and was incredibly grateful that she'd taken him and Teddy in.

Eventually, after another round of exchanged glances and a covert conversation between Kingsley and Percy that took place behind a silencing spell, Kingsley waved at a folder on his desk. "You've read the file. You know what those guards did to him. I can't keep this quiet much longer. You know how much of it will be splashed on the front page of the _Prophet_ as soon as the story gets out. And we _still cannot release him_. I've been told that even the Minister cannot _randomly_ \--" his mouth twisted with disgust "--flout the rules."

A flex of his fist and Kingsley shoved away from his desk and stood up, pacing to the window before turning around. "If I could, I would send him home. But the Unspeakables aren't likely to release the Manor any time soon, and I would be crucified by the press and public alike if I removed the restriction on Narcissa's probation to only have supervised visits with her son and husband."

"Thus, his aunt and a werewolf," Remus said flatly.

"Exactly. You do understand, don't you, Remus? Whatever our thoughts on the matter, most people still believe that being forced to live with a werewolf is a punishment. And Andromeda..."

"Provides the illusion of propriety and assuages the consciences of those who would see him go free," Remus finished when he couldn't stand watching Kingsley flounder any longer. He refused to be that kind, though, so he asked, "What else?"

He met Kingsley's glare with equanimity. They'd worked together for too long, fighting Voldemort, for Remus to be intimidated by Kingsley. Releasing an explosive breath, Kingsley turned to the others. "Everyone else out. Now."

"Except Andromeda," Remus said. "She has a right to know as well."

"Fine."

The office was cleared in minutes. Kingsley flicked his wand and spoke the words that activated privacy wards and disabled the Floo, and then he came around to lean against the front of his desk. "Lucius Malfoy and the Lestrange brothers offered an unrefusable deal. Their complete testimony under Veritaserum - any questions we see fit to ask about the Death Eaters past and present. In return they asked me to personally ensure the Malfoy boy's survival and recovery."

"And those who did this to my nephew?" Andromeda demanded. "Are they also to be shuffled away into obscurity to save face? After all, he's only another Death Eater."

"Please, Andromeda, you've known me long enough by now, surely?" When she merely crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him, Kingsley ran his hand over his bald head and then squeezed the back of his neck. "They're in the cells below the Ministry, awaiting trial. And there will be a trial. This I promise you. And he'll have to give evidence. Hell, the poor kid _is_ evidence."

When neither of them said anything, he confessed, "We all know he shouldn't have been there in the first place. No teenager, especially not one who's that pretty, belongs in prison. And to be sent there for _not killing_ Dumbledore... If that's a crime, half the Order should be in Azkaban. Many's the time I would have gleefully strangled the old man myself." Kingsley blew out a breath. "Save me from bloody politicians. Weasley's desire for revenge and Harry's efforts were irrelevant. The boy was punished because frightened men and women thought they needed to prove they hadn't been corrupted by Lucius Malfoy and his cronies."

Andromeda contemplated him for a few seconds and then turned to Remus. "You know me well enough by now."

Aware that she wanted this, but that she wouldn't argue if he said no, Remus nodded. He turned to Kingsley, who was staring at the folder on his desk. "Where's Harry in all of this?"

"Harry..." Remus was sure that he was on the right track when Kingsley closed his eyes and scrubbed at his bare head before continuing, "...has threatened to pull out of Auror training to take in the boy himself if I cannot get you to agree. And _he_ \--" Kingsley grasped Remus' left forearm, leaving him with no doubt that the man wasn't talking about Harry this time "--is threatening to resign from the Unspeakables and take a public stand on this, exposing everything. His survival. Dumbledore's unconscionable machinations. Everything."

"With Harry standing proudly by his side, I'm sure. Perhaps even holding hands," Andromeda said, her tone mild, but her smile vicious.

"You do understand--" Kingsley looked from her to Remus "--what that would mean?"

Remus snorted. "Keep this up, Kingsley, and you'll end up worse than the old man."

" _No!_ " Kingsley was vehement. "I have no secrets from my inner circle, and I trust them to kick my arse if I head too far in the wrong direction. However, there are some things that I simply will not leave to the vagaries of chance and public opinion."

"Andromeda?" Remus asked. It was her house, her nephew, and her grandson and, he believed, her final decision.

"On one condition," she said, standing up. "You take us to see Draco now. I will not agree to anything until I know that he poses no threat to my grandson."

Ron accosted them just outside Kingsley's office. "Will you do it?"

"We haven't agreed to anything yet," Remus replied and started to follow the others.

"I'll consider your life debt to me absolved, if you take him in."

Turning, Remus examined Ron. The boy - man, he corrected himself, remembering that he was nineteen - was proud of that life debt, of what it meant to hold it and know that it proved he hadn't just killed in the battle, but had also saved Remus' life by bringing the Healers to him before the werewolf became just another dead body lying in the Great Hall. And, yet, Ron was absolutely sincere in this, almost desperate, and Remus _knew_ that meant there was more to the abuse heaped on Draco Malfoy than they'd been shown.

"Andromeda has yet to agree, but we're going to see Draco now," he said, almost wincing at the relief on Ron's face.

~*~

Three Aurors stood guard outside a guest bedroom in the Minister's private quarters. Kingsley shrugged in response to Remus' raised eyebrow. "Credit me with a little more compassion than my predecessors."

"Besides, you never stay here, right?" Remus smiled.

"Right," Kingsley smiled back. "Faviola would have my guts for garters."

Inside, the room was small but well-appointed. The large bed took up most of the space. A heavy desk was crowded into one corner, and a pair of squashy armchairs upholstered in the same gold velvet as the bedspread faced the magic window.

Andromeda and Narcissa were talking quietly in one corner, heads close together. Remus started towards them, but then turned away when Andromeda pointed towards the armchairs on the other side of the room. He sat down on the window seat, arms crossed, feet planted on the floor, and looked at the huddled figure in front of him.

Draco bore almost no resemblance to the young man who had faced his conviction with his head held high, and even less to the cocky third year Slytherin Remus had taught at Hogwarts. Thin and frail in black pyjamas, sleeves hanging down over his hands and sock-covered feet peeking out from over-long bottoms, he'd pulled his legs up, wrapped his arms around them, and rested his chin on his bony knees. Hair hanging stiff and straw-like down past his shoulders and hiding part of his face, he stared at the waves crashing against cliffs in the window.

He didn't respond to any of Remus' questions or attempts to start a conversation, only the occasional flicker of his eyes proving that he knew Remus was there.

Stifling a yawn and ignoring the sudden rumbling of his empty stomach, Remus got to his feet. He went over to Andromeda and Narcissa and then, pitching his voice to carry, said, "I'm not sure what else we can do with him, but Teddy's always looking for new dolls to play with."

Narcissa widened her eyes and raised a hand to her mouth, concealing her expression.

Andromeda nodded and responded, "We do have more than enough nappies to change at the moment."

"Shall we then?" Remus held out a hand and they started walking. He had his hand on the door when Draco finally talked.

Voice raspy as if he'd spoken too much recently or hadn't spoken in a long time, he said, "I'm not _that_ broken. And I would appreciate it if someone would actually get me the fuck out of here instead of wasting everyone's time yapping about it."

Reaching out and squeezing Narcissa's hand, Andromeda smiled. Tears sparkled on her lashes. "Then we'll see about bringing you home."

~*~

Four days later, Remus had had even less sleep than usual, but all of the forms changing Draco's status from incarcerated to house arrest had been signed -- and officially stamped by a nameless official in the plum-coloured robes of the Wizengamot. He'd even been granted a three month leave (with pay, thank you very much). And now he was back in the Minister's guest bedroom, waiting for the final step in the process to be completed.

"If you would stay still, Mr Malfoy, this will only take a moment." The mediwizard once again placed the tip of his wand against the shell of Draco's ear.

Eyes squeezed shut, Draco trembled so hard that Remus could see the vibrations.

Bloody insensitive mediwizard, Remus thought. Holding a wand that close to someone who'd been abused. He crouched down and touched one of the pale, shaking hands. "Look at me, Draco."

The grey eyes flew open, shock visible in their dilated pupils.

Loosening Draco's hand from where it was twisted in his own robes, Remus placed his own wand across the palm. "You're not defenceless," he said.

Draco's only response was to clutch hard at the wand and Remus' hand. But the trembling eased enough for the mediwizard to embed the tracking device in Draco's ear.

After a muttered spell, gold wires spun from the end of the mediwizard's wand and threaded through the cartilage. Some appeared to continue under the scalp. To do what, Remus wondered, feeling vaguely sick as he imagined them snaking into Draco's brain tissue or spinal column or nervous system. Another, equally incomprehensible spell sent green and red light twirling along the wire to solidify into three emeralds.

To the unsuspecting, the device could be mistaken for jewellery.

After the mediwizard left, Kingsley brought in a representative of the DMLE. The rather rabbity-looking Antasia Parthwen would have been unprepossessing and easily overlooked in the smallest of gatherings if she hadn't been wearing red robes edged with emerald green and adorned with a scattering of gold pins and buttons. Instead, she resembled an over-decorated, Muggle Christmas tree. Unlike Draco, Remus managed to suppress his snort of disgust.

"Mr Lupin," she said, holding onto his fingers after a surprisingly strong handshake. "Which finger do you prefer?"

"Prefer?" He looked at Kingsley, who simply exposed his teeth in an expression that may have been intended as a grin. If the man hadn't been Minister for Magic, Remus would have cheerfully hexed him on the spot.

"For the ring, of course."

"But of course," Remus murmured. He wiggled the forefinger on his right hand and glared at Kingsley.

The ring Parthwen spun on his finger from her wand was made of the same twined gold strands. The three matching emeralds surrounded a moonstone with silver lines through it. "This is the control," she explained. "You'll know immediately if Mr Malfoy is injured or attempts to leave the boundaries of his house arrest." She pursed her lips. "DMLE prisoner control will receive simultaneous notification, so do not think that you have full responsibility."

Or that I can set him free, Remus added silently. Officious twit.

She remained, radiating disapproval, as he completed the remaining formalities. When he was done, he shrunk Draco's suitcase and placed it in his pocket.

With a tap of his wand, Kingsley turned a copy of _International Wizarding Accords, 1347 to 1350_ into a Portkey. At Parthwen's frown, he smirked. "If we have another outbreak of the Black Death and urgently need to enforce one of these treaties, I'm sure someone will let me use one of the several dozen other copies scattered around the building."

And then he hustled Parthwen out of the room, quelling her objections with the very loud promise to use a one-way mirror spell, so she could confirm that they had indeed left the building in the approved manner.

"Shall we?" Remus asked Draco, holding out the book.

Taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, Draco grasped the other end. Fierce determination belied the fear that lurked behind his eyes. For a moment, the resemblance to his father was irrelevant. His stance, expression, and body language were pure Sirius Black.

A bare second later, as the Portkey activated and began whirling them around, Remus no longer had any doubts about whether this was the right thing to do.

~*~

"Lucius wants to see you," Narcissa had said that evening as she swanned up the stairs after Andromeda and Draco. The request was easy to decline. The "please" that she added on, was not.

That was how, the next morning, Remus found himself in the last place he'd ever expected to be: a cold, damp room in Azkaban, sitting across a rickety table from Lucius Malfoy. The weight of the building above and the pressure of the water surrounding them were palpable. The silence was so absolute that it muffled every sound, even footsteps and voices. A dreary, unchanging sense that he was somewhere that no one -- wizard or werewolf -- belonged had raised his hackles and left him on edge.

Malfoy, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease, despite his unwashed state, the ill-fitting uniform, and the chains that tethered him to wall and floor. He sat in his spindly, metal chair as if it were a comfy, leather armchair by the fire in a gentleman's club.

Meeting Malfoy's gaze, Remus settled himself on his own chair as comfortably as possible and waited. Lucius had requested this meeting. Remus would be damned if he'd start the conversation.

Eventually Lucius smirked and bowed his head slightly. "It appears," he said, "that Severus was correct about you. The milquetoast described by my son and others is merely a cover for the man inside."

Remus snorted. "Believing that I am ineffectual requires active ignorance of who and what I am. Severus has too much experience of both the Marauder and the werewolf to fall into that trap."

"Indeed," Lucius agreed. "You must forgive my directness, but the guards will not permit us sufficient time for polite conversation." He shifted, causing the chains to rattle faintly. "You have accepted responsibility for my son."

"Andromeda and I have, yes."

"Andromeda is not my concern." Lucius flicked his fingers in dismissal. "It is your relationship with my son that I wish to... determine today."

"My... with... _Draco_?" Remus frowned, twisting the ring on his forefinger. He thought he'd come to this meeting without expectations, and yet here he was with his supposedly non-existent expectations completely demolished. "What about it?"

"I..." Lucius sighed and raised his hands together with the attached chains. Magic appeared like patches on tarnish on the steel. His smile was self-deprecating. "You must forgive me. My instinct is to pace, which I am not permitted to do."

Not sure what Lucius was getting at, Remus hummed a non-committal response.

"You wonder why you are here, I'm sure," Lucius continued. "Not including his mother and I, your son and his grandmother are the only family Draco has left. And, since you are the only male of age in that house, I hold you responsible for my son's welfare."

He paused, but Remus remained silent. It seemed pointless to deny responsibility or point out the obvious -- that Andromeda was perfectly capable of taking care of everyone.

"How much did they tell you about what happened to Draco and how he ended up back in the Ministry's uncaring hands? Why you were asked to take him in?"

The sudden change in subject gave Remus mental whiplash and made it impossible for him to prevaricate; something that could be dangerous with this man. "I've read the official record and was given a barebones version of the deal you negotiated on Draco's behalf."

"Negotiated," Lucius sneered. "That's hardly the word I would use. Pleaded for, perhaps."

Remus snarled, revealing the tips of his teeth. "Enough, Malfoy. Either be direct, as you suggested, or I _will_ leave."

Long, pale nostrils flared, but Malfoy managed a sharp, jerky nod. "Habit is a difficult beast to break."

"Not all beasts can be broken."

Malfoy's brief smile was genuine, amusement lighting up his grey eyes for a moment, before his expression became almost feral. "I am counting on that, Mr Lupin. Draco is my _son_. There is _nothing_ I would not do to protect him. And this time, I _will_ succeed." He leant as far over the table as his chains would permit and hissed, "What those criminals did to him was an abomination. Unforgivable. He is the future of the Malfoys and his future has been all but _annihilated_."

When Remus said nothing, Malfoy continued, "They cannot be permitted to succeed, to destroy my son, my family. I will not allow it. My life is the least of what I am willing to sacrifice for Draco." The chains rattled again. Two spots of red blossomed high on Malfoy's cheekbones. "You are a father. Tell me that you would not do the same for your son."

" _Whatever_ is necessary. In the space between one heartbeat and the next," Remus growled.

"Then we understand each other."

"What of your deal with the Ministry?"

"Useless, fawning cretins," Lucius replied, dismissively. "Their only goal is to mitigate the scandal. Do you believe for one instant that they would not sacrifice Draco to save their positions?"

"And you believe that I will not?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You made promises to the Ministry in return for temporary custody of my son. Name me one instance when you have gone back on your sworn word?"

Refusing to take the bait, Remus said, "I have not made any promises to _you_ \--" the word 'yet' hung in the air between them "--nor been given a reason to do so."

Anger flared visibly in Lucius' eyes. "No reason? They _dared_..." the man gathered himself together and stared directly into Remus' eyes. "Perhaps _I_ can be sufficiently persuasive." Then he dropped his shields.

Remus tried to drag his gaze away and failed. He could hear Lucius' murmuring drone; too quiet for Remus to decipher the individual words. The stand-off continued for what felt like hours, but was likely mere seconds. Then, the tone of Lucius' voice became more insistent. Cloth rustled, chains clanked, and a piece of fabric was thrust over Remus' mouth and nose. He fell into Lucius' memories of what the guards had done to Draco.

The scents of blood, sweat, and fear, memories of Draco, followed Remus back out into the room. Nostrils quivering, he fought to keep the growl in his chest, to resist the urge to rend and tear and protect _his_... that word snapped him out of the trance. He turned away, struggling for control. When his lips were no longer peeled back from a mouth that seemed to be filled with too many, too long teeth, when his fingernails no longer felt like claws digging into the cloth gripped in his hands, when he was reasonably sure he could speak without growling, he faced Lucius and flung the stained, tattered remnant of a prison uniform at him.

"What have you done?"

Face expressionless, as if nothing extraordinary had happened; Lucius tapped an uneven fingernail on the cloth and said, "What I deemed necessary to protect my son."

"And me? What did you do to me?" Remus growled, as he lunged forward and seized Lucius by the front of his uniform. Tarnish flashed an orange warning on the rattling chains as Remus hauled Lucius up to their fullest extent.

Lucius remained silent; his face was expressionless.

Fingers curling into claws, Remus shook Lucius. When that still didn't produce a response, he raised a hand. Then, orange blazed red and the protective magic sent a shock through Remus and, he assumed, Lucius. With a snort of disgust -- mostly at his own loss of self-control -- Remus dropped Lucius and went back to his own chair. He dragged a shaking hand through his greying hair and changed the subject. "That cloth came from Draco's uniform."

This time, Lucius' nod was jerky. His eyes revealed almost unbearable pain before shuttering again to impassivity. The spell he had cast on Remus had clearly exhausted what few reserves he had.

They sat there for a few minutes, staring at the cloth, the table, each other. Until a thump against the door reminded them of the time limit imposed on their meeting.

When Remus got up to leave, Lucius asked, "Do we have an agreement?"

"If Draco consents. Nothing will ever be done to him without his consent again. That I do promise."

"I expect no less." When Remus reached the door, Lucius spoke again, the steel audible beneath his velvet voice. "One more thing, Lupin. Whatever happens with you and my son, the family requires an heir. If Draco chooses not to sire a child, your son is acceptable to me with the proviso that he completes the ritual and adds Malfoy to his surname."

Remus paused, hand on the door. "If it is necessary and if _he_ consents."

~*~

Teddy ran to Remus as soon as he walked into the sitting room, dragging Draco with him. "Daddy, Daddy, Daco taked--"

"Draco took," Draco corrected, extracting his hand from Teddy's grip.

Turning and making a face at Draco, Teddy insisted, " _Taked_ me flying. Up high."

"How high? This high? Reaching for his son's hands, Remus swung him up and into his arms. Snuggling him close, breathing in his unique scent, Remus used it to overwhelm the odd pull towards Draco.

"Higher, Daddy. Higher."

"This high?" Remus made sure he had a good grip on Teddy and lifted him over his head. His muscles held steady, despite the weariness that shook him to the bone.

"Higher." Teddy giggled. "Over house. Like afore."

"Over the house?" Remus arched an eyebrow at Draco.

"Nowhere near," Draco responded. Then he lifted his head, giving up his careful study of the flowers adorning the worn carpet, and their eyes met. Draco's reaction was instantaneous. He tore his eyes away, looking like a hunted animal. Head shaking an adamant denial, he backed up.

Teddy's "Owie, Daddy" yanked Remus' attention away. By the time he'd soothed his son, and begged forgiveness for squeezing a little too tightly, Draco had gone.

~*~

Dinner had been awkward to say the least. Draco had been sulky and silent, only speaking when Teddy refused to be ignored, and disappearing up to his room as soon as the table was cleared. He'd never once looked at, spoken to, or acknowledged Remus.

"It only took five stories but Teddy's finally down." Andromeda sat down in her usual armchair, curled her feet up underneath her, and started peeling the wrapper off a Kit Kat. "Now, do you want to tell me what's going on?"

"Not really," Remus admitted.

"But you will anyway."

Neither of them, however, were able to work out exactly what Lucius had done to Remus. Lucius hadn't had a wand, nor had his magic set off the alarms at Azkaban. Which meant, Andromeda was sure, that he had invoked a Malfoy family spell. They were in the middle of discussing the possibilities when the screaming started.

The aching need to help, to comfort was more than Remus could resist. He raced up the stairs. Draco's bedroom door wouldn't open, so he tried Alohomora. When that didn't work, a shoulder to the wood and a good shove created an opening wide enough for him.

Momentarily confused, Remus stopped dead just in front of the door. He could no longer hear screams, just quiet whimpers that were clearly coming from somewhere in the room. Yet, the bed was empty, the bedspread and pillows half on the floor. The urge continued to pull at him, but he thrust it to one side. He needed to think, to scent, to listen. A quick Lumos lit the room enough for him to see as well.

Seconds later, he was lying across the bed and looking down into the narrow space between the bed and wall. Too small for him to even think about fitting into, but Draco had managed to slide in and curl up, foetal-style, half under the bed. The gems in his ear flashed in the light from Remus' wand.

Remus reached down and tried to get Draco's attention, but the angle was too awkward for gentleness. Since the last thing he wanted to do was to make things worse, Remus pushed the bed further away from the wall to widen the space enough for him to fit.

Carefully, he slipped his arms around Draco and eased him off the floor. Cradling him, Remus rocked just a little, stroking the tense back and resting his cheek against the soft, blond hair. When the whimpering stopped, the dull pain in Remus' chest finally eased. Not knowing what else to do, he continued rocking and petting as if he were trying to comfort Teddy after he'd woken up crying.

"P... pro... Remus?" Draco pulled away, sounding confused. "S...sorry."

"You were having a nightmare." Letting go without voicing the objections that rose within him, Remus retrieved his wand and levitated the bed into the middle of the room. "I think," he said, getting up and failing horribly at his attempt not to keep an eye on Draco, "you would be more comfortable sleeping in the bed."

"It's..." Draco began and then sighed. "I was drowning in it last night." He scrambled to his feet, keeping his back to the wall, and watched Remus warily.

"Maybe we could turn it into the kind you like better tomorrow," Andromeda said. She stood just inside the door, leaning against the dressing table that had been blocking it, with a yawning Teddy in her arms. "In the meantime, there's a small bed in Teddy's room that you can use for tonight, if you prefer."

Draco shook his head, pushing his toe into the carpet. His arms were wrapped around his chest; his hands hidden beneath the too-long sleeves of his black pyjama top.

Remus exchanged a glance with Andromeda and offered, "We can move it in here, if you don't want to be disturbed by Teddy."

That got a reaction, but still no agreement. "But what if _I_ disturb Teddy."

Thinking for a moment, Remus considered what he had seen at Azkaban and the space that Draco had made for himself between the bed and the wall. The only solution that came to mind was completely at odds with the prideful boy he remembered from Hogwarts, and yet, somehow, he knew it was the right answer. "There's a small dressing room off my bedroom. It's empty right now and it's going to be a while before I have time to turn it into a study. We could move the bed in there, if you'd like that better."

Relief, hope, shame, all of the tangled emotions on Draco's face sent another twinge through Remus' chest. To avoid his own mixed up feelings, he reached out and took Teddy from Andromeda. "Why don't I settle Teddy back down and get things sorted?"

"Maybe you can go and put the kettle on, Draco?" Andromeda asked. "I'll be down in a minute."

Draco glared at her and Remus half-expected him to object to being treated like a house-elf, but he went without saying a word.

Remus took Teddy to his room with Andromeda following him. He brushed a kiss over Teddy's forehead and tucked the blanket around his son. Then, he turned around and waited for her to ask the question that had her frowning.

"How did you know he was in trouble?"

"It was hard to miss with all the screaming."

"I didn't hear him. In fact, neither of us should have heard anything from that room at all," she replied. "Draco said he was going to listen to the radio. He asked me to put up a Silencing Spell so he didn't wake Teddy."

Twisting the ring around his forefinger, mind swirling with shock and questions that he couldn't begin to answer, Remus stared at her.

~*~

"I really can't talk to you about Mr Malfoy. Everything we discuss is privileged, including any improvements or lack thereof. Surely you can appreciate that?" Serena Xiang perched on the settee, leaning slightly forward. Her dark hair was cropped short, emphasising her high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes. Long nails, painted pink, tapped on the rim of her mug. The midnight blue trim on her light blue robes identified her as a Mind Healer.

"I'm not asking you to tell me what's going on with him," Remus replied, exasperated at what felt like deliberate misunderstanding. "We understand that it's normal for someone to have nightmares after what he's been through."

"That's good to hear, Mr Lupin."

Remus dragged a hand through his shaggy, greying hair. "I'm not so much worried about the nightmare he had last night as how he reacted afterwards. He said a few words and then he shut down. Completely. And he apologised. Draco Malfoy apologised. Do you have any idea how out of character that is?"

The Mind Healer sighed and placed her mug on an end table. "I can't give you any specifics, but I'll tell you this. Some people who have been through traumatic experiences build up walls in their minds. Not so much to separate themselves from the memories, although that can also happen, but to protect themselves from the emotional reaction. From feeling too much."

"And thus the apathy," Remus mused.

She checked her watch. "If you're done, I believe it's past time for my weekly session with Mr Malfoy." The sharp edge to her voice turned her polite words into a reprimand.

"Thank you," Remus replied and went to find Draco.

~*~

For the next few days, Remus and Draco danced around each other. Or, more accurately, Remus thought, Draco invested enormous effort in not being alone in a room with him. The only time they were ever in the same room without one or both of Teddy or Andromeda present was when Remus was compelled to ease Draco's nightmares. But, as soon as he was aware of the comfort, Draco rolled over to face the wall and ignored Remus.

Remus was sure that Draco knew what Lucius had done, but he didn't press the other man. Instead, he worked around the house, took care of Teddy, and watched Draco. Occasionally, he ran a finger over the silver frame that surrounded Sirius' photograph and, for the umpteenth time, wondered whether it would help to be able to talk with a portrait of Sirius. Reacting to instincts he refused to examine, he moved the framed photograph of Dora into Teddy's room.

Since Draco was restricted to the fenced boundaries around the garden and house, Andromeda had gone shopping for him. The new clothes fit perfectly, but he continued to wear the oversized long-sleeved shirts and one of Remus' -- even larger -- old cardigans that had been abandoned on a shelf in the dressing room where Draco now slept. Even during dinner, Draco made sure the sleeves hung down past his wrists.

On the fifth morning, the _Daily Prophet_ finally ran its exposé. Distracted by a Floo call from Molly Weasley, Andromeda wasn't there when the post owl dropped the paper on the kitchen table in front of Draco and paid itself with a couple of the sausages she had been keeping warm on the cooker.

This time the sense of urgency was so strong that Remus didn't hesitate. Snatching up the half-dressed Teddy, he raced for the stairs. At the top, the ring flashed and heated up to let him know Draco was in danger. Halfway down, the fire wards flared. He reached the bottom just as Andromeda came running out of the sitting room. Thrusting Teddy at her and pulling his wand, he said, "Take him and go. I'll get Draco."

Draco was in the kitchen, soaking wet, staring at the smouldering table and laughing hysterically. Water still dripped from the activated fire-ward circles on the ceiling. His eyes, when he looked at Remus, were wild. He pointed a finger at the sodden mess in the middle of the table and chortled, "I made Incendio."

Heart hammering from near-panic, Remus moved further into the room and cast the charm that informed the ward company that the fire was out. Calling on every ounce of experience dealing with errant hexes in the DADA classroom, he stood with his legs slightly apart and his arms hanging loose at his sides. "You need a wand for that particular spell."

Flinging a hand towards the fire, Draco shook his head. "Merely a piece of _burning_ wood."

"Needs must, I expect." He resisted the impulse to smile and give five points to Slytherin for creativity. And an honest-to-Merlin response.

"All those lies. About me, my family. All over the front page. How could I ignore them?"

"No one expects you to," Remus murmured as he edged closer. One step, then another, and he had his arms around Draco just as the laughter drained from his face.

"They all know," Draco whispered, clutching at Remus. "Oh Merlin, what do I do?"

Not having an answer, Remus just held him. A few minutes later, they separated. Their momentary closeness had changed into something awkward and uncomfortable.

"Umm..." Draco mumbled, pink suffusing his face as he gestured at the room. "I may, possibly, have allowed myself to get a little carried away."

"Just a little."

"I'd offer to clean it up, but..."

"You'll do no such thing," Andromeda said, coming in and standing next to Remus, one hand firmly holding on to Teddy. "These gentlemen--" she indicated the two wizards in the distinctive red and gold uniform of the alarm company who had followed her into the room "--will take care of everything. That's why we pay them such a ridiculous amount of money, after all."

Snapping to attention as if someone had strapped him to a board, all expression blanked from Draco's face and he once again gave the impression of indifference. Remus couldn't help thinking that he looked for all the world as if he'd donned what Sirius used to call the 'Black Company Face'.

"I want you out of those wet clothes and into a hot bath before anyone else arrives. Understood?" Without waiting for an answer, she bent down to Teddy. "What is it?"

Nose wrinkled, Teddy announced, "Dirty, Gramma, and 'tinky."

"That it is," she replied, ushering him towards his father. "Remus, please make sure Draco does as he's told for once. And take Teddy with you. I don't want him underfoot while I sort this out."

All the way upstairs, Teddy insisted that Draco needed someone to play with because baths needed toys. And bubbles.

"Do you mind?" Remus asked.

Draco shrugged. "Whatever."

Wishing Draco hadn't regained his aloof façade so rapidly, Remus started the water running and then took Teddy off to choose some bath toys. When they returned, with a veritable village of merpeople and every piece they could find of his Bathtime Quidditch set, Draco was chin-deep in water and bubbles.

Teddy knelt beside the bath, the bucket of toys next to him. One at a time, he introduced his toys to Draco in rapid, barely comprehensible -- even to Remus -- speech and then placed them in the bath. Draco replied in low murmurs that were too quiet for Remus to hear.

Remus watched for a minute or two, until it became clear that his presence was making Draco uncomfortable. He went into his bedroom, sat on the bed with his back against the headboard, and picked up his book. He skimmed a page and then another, but he couldn't stop thinking about the link between him and Draco. The link that seemed to keep getting stronger. The link that he was sure Lucius had created that day in Azkaban, although Remus was damned if he could figure out how the man had done it.

"Damn it." A flick of his hand and the book sailed against the wall. He picked up the photograph of Sirius from his bedside table and stared at it. Sirius grinned at him, waved, ran a hand through his hair, and licked his lips lasciviously. And then he repeated the cycle. Again and again and again.

"What do I do, Sirius?" Remus placed a finger against Sirius' lips and imagined that that oh-so-wicked tongue was licking his skin -- as it had done so many times before. "It feels so _right_ to protect Draco, to help him, to take care of him. But I can't even tell how I feel about him. It's all tangled up with this fucking lifelong _curse_ Malfoy cast on me. As if being a werewolf wasn't bad enough."

Anger and the urge to rend and tear rose within him. And he fought it, struggling to regain his self-control, as he had so many times before. Closing his eyes, he focussed on his breathing, on the familiar comfort of his wordless mantra, and sank into a trance.

A loud splash and a shriek from the bathroom yanked him out of his meditation and back to the room. He tossed the picture onto the bed and ran.

Heart pounding, he skidded to a halt just inside the bathroom. Only to see a giggling, soaking wet Teddy being held in the air by Draco.

"Daddy, felled in," Teddy announced. "Daco saved."

Draco, when he saw Remus, flushed and sat Teddy at the other end of the bath, carefully, and slipped back under the water. Too late, Remus thought; unable to forget the sight of those pale, thin arms with scars from what looked like rope burns that spiralled from wrist to bicep.

"I can see that. Did you say 'thank you' to Draco?"

"T'ank you Daco." Teddy got to his feet and tottered forward in the water, flinging his arms around Draco's neck and giving him a noisy kiss on the cheek.

Change that to a very embarrassed Draco, Remus thought. "Now, why don't we take you back to your room to get you changed and dry? And let Draco finish his bath in peace."

"Who play with Daco?" Teddy pushed back and searched Draco's face.

"I'll be fine," Draco replied, adamantly not looking at Remus. "I'm almost ready to get out."

"Oh kay," Teddy said, face full of doubt.

"Come on then, cub." Remus snagged a towel out of the airing cupboard and cautiously picked up Teddy and wrapped him in it.

Afterwards, when Teddy was in his pyjamas and taking a long overdue nap -- protected by silencing and monitoring spells -- Remus went back to his own bedroom. He picked up Sirius' picture and put it on his chest of drawers. At least this time, he hadn't bent the frame. Kneeling down, he opened the bottom drawer and retrieved the narrow, black wooden box that had been stashed at the back. He didn't look too carefully at the contents when he opened it. No need for that, when he had them memorised. He reached for the pair of bracers before closing the box and putting it back.

"You don't mind, do you?" he asked the picture, as he stroked the worn, supple leather. They would be just about perfect, he knew, fitting Draco's arms from just below his elbow to his wrists, and arcing just a bit over the top of his hands in the front. Built-in cooling, warming, and water-repellent charms ensured that the leather remained comfortable, no matter what the weather.

Sirius had put them on almost every day, after Remus gave them to him for his nineteenth birthday. That Sirius had left them behind when he went to the Ministry to save Harry, had told Remus that his not-completely-sane lover hadn't expected (or, perhaps, intended?) to survive.

Azkaban and all of the betrayals had left Sirius beyond anyone's help, Remus knew, but maybe not Draco. Not yet, at least. And, whatever spell Lucius had invoked, Draco shouldn't be held responsible.

Decision made, bracers in hand, Remus headed for Draco's bedroom.

~*~

The bedroom door was ajar. Remus closed it carefully behind him. Then he drew in a breath, sharply.

Draco stood before him, clad only in loose cotton trousers that hung low on his hips, facing a full-length mirror. He was still too thin, ribs and spinal knobs visible. But that wasn't what caught Remus' attention.

The scarring looked ritualistic. Raised circles the size of a wand tip created a swirling pattern on his back from neck and shoulders to pelvis. Remus let his eyes follow the path, to be drawn into the design, but forced himself to stop when he started to feel dizzy. He reached back with his free hand, grounded himself on the cool wood of the door, and raised his eyes to return the reflected grey gaze.

"He called me his canvas," Draco said, running a hand over the lines carved into his chest and abdomen. "I was to be his finest work of art."

Remus fought to control his anger, to find something to say that wasn't puerile or demeaning. Finally, he grated out, "What did you call yourself?"

Draco stared at himself in the mirror again and then turned around, something lost and broken in his eyes. "I had no words. No name. The pain stole it all. Perhaps when he finishes his masterpiece."

"Never," Remus vowed. "I won't allow it."

"As you say." Draco turned back to the mirror and reached for the shirt that lay on a nearby chair. He raised it to his chest, bowed his head.

The movement of fabric across skin broke Remus out of his trance. He moved forward, took the shirt, dropped it back on the chair, and then laid the bracers across Draco's open hands.

"For me?"

"For you," Remus replied. "Sirius wore them..." Emotion rose again, almost choking him, until he cleared his throat. "...for protection."

The grey eyes rose and met his. The achingly slow, shallow nod sent something thrumming through Remus. Something almost like contentment. He picked up one of the bracers. Unable to shake the sense of ceremony, he pressed a finger on the button and spoke the word that opened the seam. Draco didn't resist when Remus skimmed a hand under his forearm, caressing each bump and ridge as he drew on the bracer. The soft leather slipped on without hesitation, the flat loop hooking over Draco's thumb. Another word and the bracer writhed, fitting into place, elbow to wrist, sealing itself closed.

He took the second bracer, his nails scraping lightly across Draco's lifeline. His head bent down, the soft breath of an exhale shivered across Remus' ear. A careful glance up showed Draco's eyes fluttering half-closed, his lips slightly parted. Swallowing hard, he reminded himself that this was Draco, who needed his protection not his...

 _Focus_ , he told himself, as he felt the erratic pulse beating in Draco's blue veins under the cool, pale skin. Remus licked his suddenly dry lips and slid the leather on slowly. This time his fingertips felt rough, catching a little as they skated over the spiral scars. With his other hand, he guided the loop over Draco's thumb, pushing gently on the web that connected thumb and forefinger.

All too soon, Remus spoke the last word and the second bracer was on. His hand glided back up the leather, elbow to wrist to hand. Their fingers caught, twined for a moment, and then released.

Remus stepped away, towards the door.

Draco stroked the leather on his left with his right hand. Then he drew his arms into his chest and closed back down into himself.

" _Pater Familias_." His whispered answer to the unasked question reached Remus just before the door clicked shut. For the first time since Draco had arrived, he felt hopeful that the younger man would recover.

~*~

Leaning against the wall and staring out his bedroom window, trying not to think about what he'd just done with Draco, Remus remembered where he'd heard that term before. A hot May afternoon at the end of fifth year; he, James, and Sirius had been sprawled on the grass beneath a tree, watching the odd threesome of Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Black, and Rabastan Lestrange.

"Old Abraxas must have invoked _Pater Familias_ ," James had said. "Otherwise, I can't imagine Malfoy giving up Lestrange for your cousin in all her blonde, boring glory."

"Doesn't seem to have taken too strongly," Sirius said. He settled his head back in Remus' lap. "Or Lucius wouldn't be here, dragging along his ball-and-chain-to-be, so he can cuddle with Rabastan."

"Pater...?" Remus asked, translating the Latin in his head. "What does the head of the family have to do with anything?"

"It's a pure-blood thing," James replied. "Papa says that the old families use it to ensure the line continues. Needs must, after all, and desires can't be allowed to get in the way. Besides," he laughed, rolling over to poke Sirius in the ribs where he was ticklish, "the Malfoys can't afford to give up their heir when they don't have a spare."

Remus moved away, stopping the fun, when Sirius' squirming took the back of his head too close to Remus' groin for comfort in the very public space.

When they calmed down and looked again, Regulus had joined the threesome.

"They say," Sirius began, sitting up and clutching Remus' hand, his eyes on Regulus who was studying with a group of Slytherins, "that some fathers are using... it to... to bind... unwilling children to You-Know-Who before they get the... that Mark."

They'd taken Sirius back to Gryffindor Tower after that -- away from reminders of the future his parents had planned -- and started plotting the future he wanted.

~*~

The next afternoon, Remus sat with Andromeda in the back garden enjoying the sun and a brief period of peace and quiet. Remus stretched, crossing his legs at the ankles and picking up his bottle of Hreidmar's Best Ale. He glanced at the monitor mirror on the table, but Teddy was still sleeping, thumb near but not actually in his mouth.

Pulling his wand from its holster, Remus threw up a privacy screen. Andromeda quirked an eyebrow in inquiry. After another swig of his beer, he told her what Draco had said and what he remembered hearing about that spell when he was at Hogwarts.

"James and Sirius only gave you part of the story. Perhaps they didn't know the rest. Although Sirius likely learned some of it the following year when he left his parents' home," Andromeda said, sipping her gin and tonic.

"So, what else does _Pater Familias_ do?"

"Essentially, it is what the name implies. A spell that can be cast by the head of a family. As far as I know, _Pater Familias_ is only available to the old pure-blood families. The spell is supposed to be the remnant of the feudal vows made by vassals to their overlord hundreds of years ago."

"And it still binds the vassals' descendants?"

"No, only the family members. And it's required for any major change to the family structure." She leant forward. "Marriage, for example. Abraxas Malfoy and Uncle Orion invoked _Pater Familias_ to unlink Narcissa from the Black family and bind her to the Malfoys. After that, the _Pater Familias_ of the Blacks didn't affect her." Andromeda sighed and swirled her drink, staring at the ice cubes for a moment before raising her eyes again. "For Sirius and me, being disowned meant that his father used _Pater Familias_ to evict us from the family net. It was... painful."

Remembering, Remus asked, "The night we thought his heart and brain were going to explode? His father did that to him?"

"When he burnt Sirius off the family tapestry." Andromeda took another sip of her drink. "The reverse invocation is used to add adopted children to the family tree."

"A powerful spell," Remus said, thinking hard. "But if it's restricted to family members and those who are being added to the family, how did Lucius manage to bind me to Draco?"

She studied him. "Did you consent?"

"No, I..." Remus trailed off as he thought through his meeting with Lucius Malfoy. "Then again, Malfoy seem to think my agreement with the Ministry was a promise to Draco," he finally admitted.

"That must have met the guidelines of the Malfoy family's _Pater Familias_."

Remus drained his beer and clunked the bottle back on the table. "How do I find out what I've got myself and Draco into?"

"We ask the head of the Malfoy family." The mirror flashed blue and her eyes shone with mischievousness. "But, first, you have to get Teddy up from his nap, and I need to get our tea ready."

The meal was as uneventful as possible when eating with a hungry, easily bored two year old who insisted on feeding himself. Remus was still amazed at how many places Teddy could splatter and smear tomato sauce. Still, eventually, both the kitchen and the toddler were cleaned up.

Family time, Andromeda called the two hours before the bedtime routine began. She insisted that, at least every other night, they all spend it in the sitting room. With a sigh, Remus watched the other two settle down with their books; Andromeda in her favourite armchair and Draco sprawled on the settee. He didn't bother sitting in his own chair, just slid to the floor and watched Teddy drag his toy box over. The battered box was decorated with animals which flew, ran, danced, and played among the rainbows, clouds, flowers, and trees.

"Daddy's 'tory time," Teddy announced, pulling out a miniature tea set. He set out cups and saucers for four and then, only just managing not to knock everything over, tapped the top of the teapot to start it steaming.

Remus grinned. "Your turn to tell me a story, right?"

Coming back up out of the box with a stuffed dragon in each hand, Teddy giggled and bounced. "Right."

"Is 'tory of Dagonbee--" he handed Remus the silver dragon with black spikes "--and Dagonboo." He took back the first dragon and gave Remus the other one, which was bright blue with red horns and wings.

"Hullo, Dagonboo," Remus said.

"Dagonbee did Gramma tea. An' he axed Dagonboo." Teddy placed the silver dragon in front of one of the cups. Then he stared at Remus meaningfully.

"Thank you for the tea, Dagonbee," Remus finally responded, sitting his dragon across from the first.

Teddy nodded, satisfied. "An' then Dagonbee and Dagonboo dink Gramma tea." He knelt down and lifted the cup to his dragon's lips.

Remus did the same thing with his dragon. "It's very good tea."

"An' then Dagonbee talks wiv Dagonboo. About works. Busy busy works." Teddy pretended to refill the cups from the teapot.

"An' then Dagonbee says, likes ever'fink siller." He scrunched up his face, almost crossing his eyes, and slowly the ends of his hair turned to silver. "See, Daddy. Siller"

" _Very silver_ ," Remus agreed. He smiled and held out his arms. His son was a Metamorphmagus!

Teddy crowed and hurtled over for a sticky hug, sending the cups, saucers, teapot, and dragons flying. Then he went over to Andromeda. "Siller, Gramma."

"Oh my baby, you're... wonderful." She picked him up and covered his face with kisses, keeping him there until he wriggled to get free.

He went over to the settee. "Siller, Daco."

"That's nice. Now be a good boy and go play with your Daddy." Draco didn't bother looking up from his book.

Exchanging an amused glance with Andromeda, Remus made himself more comfortable and waited.

Teddy tugged on Draco's sleeve. Again and again.

Draco pulled his arm away and glared at his book.

Teddy huffed and moved closer. Standing on tiptoes, putting a hand on the settee for balance, he knocked Draco's book over. "Look, Daco, siller."

"Why you..." Draco cut himself off and snarled, "I'm reading. Go do your stupid tricks for someone who cares."

Staring at him, in disbelief, Teddy announced, "Daco mean." Then he flopped onto his bottom and began sobbing.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake." Draco rolled his eyes and picked up his book.

Hope flaring at this very Malfoyish behaviour, Remus suppressed a smirk and watched Andromeda deal with the pair of them.

"I hope you're proud of yourself," she sneered, as she picked Teddy up and cuddled him. "Such an achievement: making a two year old cry."

"Because your perfect little angel couldn't possibly have been obnoxious and rude," Draco scoffed, slamming his book down on the coffee table and storming out of the room.

"I do believe you're right," Andromeda said, turning to Remus. "He _is_ showing signs of improvement."

~*~

Remus didn't know how Andromeda managed it. He worked for the Ministry and he could never get anyone to do anything in less than three weeks. Yet, here they were, only one day after their conversation, being ushered into a room in the depths of the Ministry by the same Aurors who had just finished a round of interviews with Lucius Malfoy.

 _Interviews_ , he thought. _They should just call them interrogations and be done with it_.

While Andromeda arranged for an Auror to bring them tea -- tea! For a prisoner no less! -- Remus made himself comfortable across from Lucius, taking care to keep the hem of his best, chocolate brown robes off the floor.

This room, while it wasn't plush, was remarkably more comfortable than the one at Azkaban. The table was made of wood, and the chairs actually had padding. Lucius looked and smelled cleaner. His black robes, while utilitarian and frayed around the collar and cuffs, were an exponential improvement on the prison uniform he'd worn for their last interview. And the chains were nowhere to be seen.

The three of them remained silent until after the tea had been delivered and the Auror had left. Then, Remus made himself comfortable and, as she'd requested, waited for Andromeda to take the lead.

"Shall I play mother?" Andromeda asked, lifting the teapot. With her pearl earrings and blue-edged white cardigan, she could have been offering to pour at a garden tea party. When they all had tea to their liking, she sipped hers and then said, "While I appreciate the Aurors leaving us with the illusion of privacy, we must assume that everything we do and say is being recorded for posterity. None-the-less," she pinned Lucius with a glare, "I expect cooperation and information. Not stonewalling."

He dipped his head in an ironic nod and raised his cup to her. "How can I resist such a gracious invitation?"

"I'll have none of that from you, either," she snapped. "You would do well to remember just who you're dealing with."

"I do love the Black women." Lucius smiled at Remus, as if sharing a confidence. "They know exactly how to make a man feel wanted."

Deciding that there was no good way to respond to that comment, Remus arched an eyebrow and changed the subject. "Your son is doing well. He actually found the bollocks to make Teddy cry yesterday."

Lucius' lips twitched, but he didn't smile again. "And you went to all this trouble to share the news? I'm honoured."

"Then prove it by answering our questions and attempting to be less of an arse. We don't have all day." Andromeda pushed her tea cup away. "We know that you invoked _Pater Familias_ to compel Remus to protect Draco above and beyond our agreement with the Ministry. However, we need information about the bond you created."

"And you assume I will give it to you?"

Andromeda's lips thinned. Anger or, perhaps, frustration caused spots of red to bloom on her cheeks. But, before she could say anything, Remus asked, "Why not?"

Once again, his bluntness seemed to surprise a reaction out of Lucius. This time, Remus thought the fleeting emotion in the grey eyes might be regret.

Lucius looked from Remus to Andromeda. He examined his fingernails and the brittle ends of his hair. Apparently coming to some decision, he took a deep breath and said, "Because I know very little more than you do."

"You invoked a family spell _on your son_ without being sure of the consequences?" Andromeda sounded disbelieving.

Thinking back for a moment, Remus realised that he didn't have a problem believing Lucius. "What went wrong?"

"Nothing went wrong... or at least, not precisely _wrong_. I was--" Lucius curled his upper lip "--desperate, for want of a better word. So, I took a chance. And, _yes_ , with my son's life. His precious life which, last I saw, seemed to matter very little to him."

"And very much to you," Andromeda said softly.

Bowing his head, hanks of his hair falling into his face, Lucius moved his hand in a brusque gesture that did nothing to deny Andromeda's assumption. After a second or two, once more in control, he raked his hair back. "Draco needed _un protecteur_ and I decided to ensure he had one who would actually help him."

Remus sighed. "Me."

"You are, as you admitted, a man of honour and, due to... circumstances, my choices were severely limited." Lucius shrugged.

Exasperation lacing her voice, Andromeda said, "Lucius."

"Yes?"

"Just tell us what you did."

"I invoked _Pater Familias_ without a wand, athame, or any of the other ritual implements. I used a piece of cloth stained with Draco's blood as his proxy. I caught Lupin's mind because I could not draw his blood in that prison without setting off alarms. And I prayed." Lucius clenched his fists and lifted his chin. "I prayed that the bond would not warp into something harmful to any of us."

"You..." Remus shook his head. He had no words for this.

"For Merlin's sake, Lucius, did you ever consider that, by choosing an honourable man, you didn't need to stoop to coercion? Or that you should have a little faith in Narcissa and me? Bloody pure-blood scions." Andromeda snorted with disgust. "Control freaks, the lot of you."

The stunned look on Lucius' face was priceless. Remus wished he owned a Pensieve so he could replay it. Over and over again.

"And on that note," Andromeda pushed back her chair and stood up, "Remus, I think we're done here."

When they reached the door, Lucius called out, "Orion shouldn't have let you leave the family."

Andromeda smirked. "You're assuming I gave him a choice."

Lucius' laughter followed them out of the room.

~*~

Over the next couple of weeks, the household fell into a kind of routine. Lunch and tea were eaten together, if they were all home. Everyone took care of their own breakfast, and supper only happened late at night, after Teddy went to bed, if anyone was still hungry. Night-time brought its own habits, with Andromeda taking care of Teddy the rare night he didn't sleep through and Remus pulling Draco out of his nightmares two or three times a night.

They'd tried switching off, but Remus couldn't ignore Draco when he was in distress. And they both seemed to sleep better when Draco used the bed in what was now a small sleeping alcove -- door replaced by a sheer curtain -- off Remus' bedroom. The one attempt to move Draco back into his own bedroom had been a complete disaster, leading to a constant stream of nightmares and no one getting any sleep.

The moon waxed towards completion and brought the familiar itchy restlessness. The day of the full moon, Remus did everything possible to work off the excess energy and to avoid Draco. Resisting the memories of the games he and Sirius used to play, taking advantage of the werewolf, he spent the morning working alone in the garden and the afternoon in the park with Teddy. None of it helped the yearning need or the aching in his bones and tendons, but did provide a distraction from his worries about how the wolf would react if Draco was hurt.

Draco. And all of the mixed-up, messed up feelings Remus had for him. Now there was another problem that didn't bear thinking about.

He came down from his shower to find Andromeda waiting for him at the foot of the stairs. "In the kitchen," she started walking, calling back over her shoulder, "Draco's playing with Teddy in the sitting room."

Neither the smoky smell, nor the taste of Wolfsbane had improved. Remus gulped it down with a grimace and replaced the empty goblet on its stand. As soon as the change in weight was registered, both goblet and stand disappeared, returning to Severus.

"Harry came by?" he asked, adding a silent, not completely successful reminder, _and his not stopping long enough to say hello wasn't personal_.

"While you were in the park," she said, placing a hand on his arm. "He stayed for over an hour, but finally had to leave just before you came home."

"That's fine," he said, even though it wasn't and they both knew it. But his faltering relationship with his almost-godson had to be a problem for another day.

"He reinforced the wards on your bedroom and added another layer of silencing and muffling spells." Andromeda changed the subject. "There's no way you'll be able to get out, no matter what happens with Draco."

"Thank you." He tried to pull away, but she held on.

"We'll be fine, Remus. You don't need a Shrieking Shack. Not with the Wolfsbane."

"We don't know what _this_ \--" he stared down at the ring, gems flashing in the sunlight "--will do. How I'll react..."

"We don't know that it will do anything." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Now go and get the boys. It's past time we had our tea."

~*~

"The end," Remus murmured and closed the book. He kissed the almost asleep Teddy.

"Night night." Teddy smiled. "Wolfie kiss?"

"Wolfie kiss," Remus agreed, bending over and putting his lips to the base of Teddy's neck and rumbling into his skin.

The giggles were soon replaced by snuffled breathing, as the toddler drifted all the way into sleep.

After making sure the monitoring spell was in place, and that the fairy night-light was turned on, Remus went to his own bedroom. As he walked past the stairs, he could hear the murmurs of Andromeda and Draco's conversation. Even his werewolf-sharp hearing wasn't enough to make out the words, but he was sure they were talking about him, about what was going to happen that night.

He closed his door firmly, shutting out the voices. There was enough to worry about without fretting over the things he couldn't control. If he started down that road again, he'd end up madder than Bellatrix.

Curtains open, clothes off, Remus paced around the room. The waiting of this last hour was the hardest. He could sense the wolf under his skin, trying to erode his control, and there was nothing he could do except trust that the Wolfsbane would work yet again.

Ten, nine, eight, the countdown sounded in his head.

"Remus?"

His head snapped up. He growled at the stupid human who had invaded his den. "Get out."

Draco lifted his chin, squared his shoulders, and took a step towards his sleeping alcove. "I just wanted to..." His words trailed off as the wards snapped to life around them. He turned, pounded on the door, yanked at the handle.

The need to help clawing at him, ring flashing and warm on his finger, Remus took a step forward. But then the change started and all he could feel was bright, sharp agony. All he could hear was someone screaming.

~*~

The wolf paced. Protect the young one, this he knew. He whuffed to get its attention and lowered his muzzle to show he meant no harm. Then, moving slowly, he tried again to get close enough to move the human -- Draco, Remus reminded himself -- to where he could be defended, but the Draco-human just curled up even smaller.

He settled back on his haunches and howled out his confusion.

The Draco-human showed the white of his eyes and fell asleep. Humans were so strange.

A nudge with his muzzle didn't get any reaction from the Draco-human. No teeth, Remus reminded himself. So, he bit into the not-fur that covered the Draco-human's leg and dragged him towards the nest. The Draco-human moaned as he was pulled up onto the nest, but didn't wake up.

After snuffling the Draco-human to make sure he was healthy, Remus rubbed against him and marked him with the right scent. Then he circled around a few times. When he'd rumpled the nest into a comfortable configuration, he lay down next to the Draco-human, settling with his muzzle on one front paw and his other front paw, the one with the annoying _thing_ on it, on the Draco-human's leg.

It was good to sleep with a pack member.

~*~

Waking up with a pack member was better.

Rumbling his contentment as the Draco-human's fingers dug into the fur behind his ears, Remus opened his eyes.

The Draco-human's tongue flickered out, licking his own muzzle. He was curled on his side, facing Remus, back arched in submission to his alpha, as was proper.

Remus rubbed his muzzle on the Draco-human's free arm to show his approval.

"Hey there," the Draco-human said.

Remus whuffed a greeting and crawled a little closer, ducking his head to encourage those wonderful fingers.

"So this is a werewolf on Wolfsbane. Or maybe it's just you on Wolfsbane," the Draco-human mused. "I can't imagine G...Greyback--" fear-scent spiked the air "--taking care of me like this, even with the potion."

The thought of _that_ wolf threatening his pack made Remus bare his teeth in a snarl. His fur bristled and his tail curled back and up.

"Oh. Why does that make me think you don't like him either and that you'd protect me from him?"

 _Because I would_ , Remus bark-whuffed. Stupid human.

A yawn and then another from the Draco-human made Remus nudge him into a better sleeping position. He curled up again, facing outwards, back against the human's chest.

Two hours later, the moon set and Remus was flung into consciousness. Pain sparked along every nerve. His bones twisted and lengthened and shrank. His joints and tendons stretched, distorted, dislocated, and then snapped back into place.

He levered himself to his knees, chest heaving as he gasped for breath.

"Morning."

He twisted his head around, moaning when his neck complained at the sudden movement. "Draco?" And then memory crashed back when he saw the young man sitting up against the pillows. "I didn't...?"

"No, you didn't."

Relief was followed by sudden awareness. He was naked. Pulling the bedspread over his lap, he forced himself to meet the grey eyes.

While he was distracted, Draco had crawled towards him. A hand edged with leather cupped Remus' stubbled jaw. "You took care of me. I promise."

"I..." Remus found himself unable to speak when Draco's hand glided down his neck and onto his right shoulder. Soft pale fingers traced the scars there.

Draco tilted his head in inquiry.

"I've had that since I was five, when Greyback bit me."

The touch moved across Remus' chest, so light it almost tickled, and stopped on five parallel lines that arced across his left side.

"From a fight in a werewolf camp that Albus asked me to infiltrate."

The hand moved down, leaving a cool trail on Remus' overheated skin. This time Draco found the star-shaped mark on his thigh.

"Sirius in seventh year, proving that timing really is everything." Remus chuckled. "He and James were arsing around in the common room, tossing things in the air and transfiguring them. I came down from our room just as Sirius changed a crumpled ball of paper into a Japanese weapon he'd seen in a book. Hit me dead on. I thought Minerva was going to make him go back the next year just to finish out his detentions."

"So many," Draco murmured, tracing Remus' skin and caressing scar after scar, moving on after hearing Remus' explanation. And then, after the last one, he kissed Remus. Soft, gentle, full of wonder.

Remus pulled Draco close, wrapped him in his arms, sucked his lower lip between his, toyed with it. And when Draco started to pull away, he let him go.

"I made a vow to your father," Remus said. "No matter what he's tried to force on you, on us, nothing will happen without your consent."

Draco paused, his hand on the door. "I believe you. Thanks."

As soon as the door handle was turned, the wards dissipated and Andromeda came charging in. Dark circles under her eyes were proof that she hadn't slept that night. Remus could only imagine how she'd watched the bedroom door and worried.

"You're safe," she exclaimed, hugging Draco and beaming a smile at both of them. Then her eyes narrowed and she scolded, "Don't ever do that again. Either of you."

Remus waited until after Draco pushed past Andromeda and he heard the bathroom door close. "He's changing it. The bond. I can feel it."

"Yes."

"He's too young," Remus objected.

"He's never been young." And when Remus opened his mouth to voice another of the objections running through his mind, she cut him off. "Just like Harry, Draco was never given the least chance at a childhood. And I don't see you telling Harry that he's too young for Severus."

"I value my bollocks right where they are, thank you very much."

"Then I wouldn't say anything to Draco either." Andromeda came over and kissed his cheek. "It's your turn to make breakfast. I'll go and get Teddy up."

~*~

Three days later, finger burning under the ring, chest aching with the compulsion to be _there_ , Remus raced up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Andromeda followed behind, keeping her skirt out of the way with one hand and holding her wand in the other. The noise from above their heads was deafening.

Crash. Bang. Smash. The walls shuddered with the impact of something heavy. Glass shattered. Draco shrieked. Teddy screamed.

Draco's bedroom was a disaster zone. He was yanking at the curtains, ripping great holes in them, until he finally pulled them down -- along with the curtain rod. The breeze blowing through the open window tousled Draco's blond hair, lifting it off his face to reveal red-rimmed grey eyes and flushed skin.

"Fucking worthless piece of shit," he screeched, picking up the rod and slamming it on the floor. "Good for nothing. Hideously, repulsively, ugly... ugly...ugly."

Remus dove into the room and swooped up Teddy, who was sitting on the still-intact bed, clutching a brown owl feather and bawling his eyes out.

"Give him to me. I'll take him to the park," Andromeda ordered. "You fix this!" Then she swept out the door, closing it and loudly casting spells to lock them in.

"Thanks for nothing," Remus muttered, then he raised his voice and his wand, " _Petrificus Totalus_."

Paying no attention to the impotent glare, he carefully slid the rod out of Draco's frozen hands and levitated him onto the bed. He cast a few Reparos to fix the mirror, desk, chair and other easily repaired items. The curtains and everything else that appeared too damaged to fix with magic, he stacked in a corner for Andromeda to examine. One last charm spun the shreds of parchment on the bedside table into an almost complete letter.

"Dear Mr Malfoy," he read. "We represent the Greengrass family in negotiations for... blah blah blah... have reason to believe you no longer meet the terms set out in... blah incomprehensible blah... hereby repudiating the agreement made... and... even more legal sound and fury signifying a whole load of nothing."

He crumpled up the letter and tossed it in the air. " _Incendio_." The ball of paper burst into flames and showered ash across the carpet.

"That's a cold and nasty way to break an engagement." He sat on the edge of the bed and peered at Draco. "I expect you have something to say. Just know that you'll end up right back here if you can't control yourself. _Finite Incantatem_."

"What the hell do you know?" Draco shoved at Remus and scrambled as far away as he could get and still be on the bed.

"About being rejected? A lot, as it happens." Remus rested his back against one of the bedposts and stretched his legs. "Or do you imagine that people fall all over themselves trying to get up close and personal with a werewolf?"

"You got to have two of my cousins. I hardly think you have much to complain about." Draco chewed on his lower lip. "I, on the other hand, just lost my one guaranteed chance. No one else is going to want _this_." He swept a hand down his chest.

"What are you babbling on about?"

"Don't insult my intelligence. You know what I mean."

A sigh, a pinch on the bridge of his nose -- that didn't help in the least -- and Remus admitted, "Yes, I'm afraid I do. I just happen to think you're wrong."

The noise Draco made was half-laugh, half-sob; harsh, bitter, and despairing. "I should be so lucky."

"Why can't you be?" Remus leaned forward. "I'm serious, Draco. You are a gorgeous young man. Those scars you hate so much are proof that you have lived, that you haven't wasted your life cowering in a cellar, expecting everyone to do the dirty work and protect you."

Draco sneered, but said nothing.

"You've seen my scars. Do you think they make me ugly? Or that they disgusted Sirius and Dora?" Remus looked down at his hands and then back into Draco's eyes. "Some African tribes believe that ritual scars like yours, and mine, are a sign of bravery and beauty. You're beautiful -- with or without them."

When Draco didn't reply, Remus got up and pretended to examine a picture frame for damage. Unfortunately, it hadn't even been scratched. They still didn't have an excuse to get rid of the dreadful thing.

Soft footsteps from behind him made his ears twitch, but he pretended not to notice.

"Did you mean that?" Draco was close enough that Remus could feel his body heat.

"I wouldn't lie to you."

Cloth tore. Buttons pinged off the wall near him. A belt buckle clunked on the carpet. "You'd want me? Like this?"

Remus turned around slowly, leant against the wall. Draco stood there, wearing only the bracers on his arms. He peered at Remus through his over-long fringe. Waiting.

He was still too thin. Ribs visible beneath the lines carved into his chest and abdomen. Long legs met at a nest of dark blond curls. And, oh, did Remus want him. He said, voice hoarse with desire, "Yes."

Draco slammed into him. Hands grasped at his hair. Lips attacked his mouth. A hard cock pressed heat into his thigh.

Groaning at the feeling of blood rushing to his cock, the yearning want that expanded from inside him, Remus let go of his control and surrendered to the clawing of the bond. He tilted Draco's head, slipped his tongue into Draco's mouth, deepened the kiss until they were both panting. He slid his hand down between their bodies, thumbed the damp tip of Draco's cock. Swallowed his moan.

Fingers plucked at Remus' shirt and trousers. He fended them off, only to find himself looking into angry, desperate grey eyes. "Let me," he said and somehow managed to get out of his clothes despite Draco's efforts to touch every inch of skin as soon as it was bared.

Pants caught around one ankle, Remus gave up and stopped fighting Draco. He allowed himself to be pushed back against the wall. Lips and teeth sucked and nipped at his neck, shoulder, nipples. Frissons of sensation shot down his nerves and straight into his cock. He arched into the touch.

"So fucking good." Remus reached down with one hand to bring their cocks together. A swipe of his palm over the heads collected enough pre-come to ease his squeezing, sliding movement. Hips jerking and frotting, back of his throat aching with need, he tangled his other hand in blond hair and pulled Draco in for another kiss.

Draco dug sharp-nailed fingers into Remus' arse. He nipped, bit, scratched, and scraped. Head thrown back, he ran his tongue over his lips. "Please?"

Spreading his legs, using the wall for balance, Remus ran his thumb over the heads of their cocks, pumped. Again and again.

"Yes. Yes. Yes," Draco chanted. He looped his arms around Remus' neck and held on, thrusting wildly. "Oh Merlin, yes."

And then Remus felt the pulsing of Draco's cock, semen spurting over his hand, on his belly. He pulled on his cock. Once. Twice. A twist at the end of each. And then he was coming, calling Draco's name.

"Fuck," Draco said, resting his forehead against Remus' shoulder. "We should have done that ages ago."

When his breathing was steadier, Remus put his hand beneath Draco's chin, tilted his head up, and claimed another kiss. This one was gentle, loving. A suck of lips, a swipe of tongue. He embraced Draco, holding tight as he sat down on the floor, taking Draco with him. He was lost.

Draco resettled himself between Remus' legs, with his back to Remus' chest, holding Remus' arms around him. His head was turned sideways and tipped down, breath blowing against a damp, over-sensitive nipple, sending shivers through Remus.

 _Damp?_ Remus wondered. He disentangled one of his hands and gently ran a finger down Draco's cheek, wiping away tears. _What had he done?"_ "Draco? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Draco sniffed. "I'm a Malfoy and Malfoys don't cry."

Remus smiled and raised Draco's head, shifting so he could see Draco's face. "I thought Malfoys could do anything they damned well pleased?"

Another sniff and then a crooked grin broke through the tears. "Damn right," Draco agreed.

They were still sitting on the floor, sticky and naked and laughing, when the magical locks on the door clicked open. Noisily.

"So...?" Draco drawled out the vowel. He stared down at his right hand, which was toying with the edges of the bracer on his left arm.

"So...?" Remus mimicked. The sudden tension in Draco's body created an echoing need to ease it in Remus. This time, though, he wasn't certain whether it came from Draco and the bond or from himself. He bent his head and kissed the curve between Draco's neck and shoulder. Salty sweat and something more, something purely Draco, had Remus tightening his arms around Draco who released his bracer and clutched back. They sat like that for a minute or two.

"I don't know about you, but I'm in desperate need of a shower," Remus said. Then he took a deep breath and, for the first time in years, allowed his instincts to rule his behaviour. "And after that," he murmured into Draco's ear, "why don't we see where _we_ want to take this bond your father created."


End file.
